Police Welfare Fund scandal: Brutus seeks 2021-2024 financial records as prosecutors object

Former Assistant Police Commissioner Calvin Brutus returned to court on Thursday as part of his ongoing legal battle related to allegations of financial misconduct involving the Police Welfare Fund.
He is seeking access to financial records spanning a four-year period, specifically documents from Republic Bank and the Ministry of Finance covering 2021 to 2024. These, his legal team says, are necessary for his defence. Prosecutors objected to the request, claiming the timeframe is excessive and not relevant to the core of the case, which centres around activity in early 2024.
The magistrate presiding over the matter, Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty, suggested that the defence reduce the scope of the request to a shorter period. Brutus did not commit to that, maintaining the broader context is necessary. He claims the fund had long been used to support operational costs in the police force and that the pattern of spending over time is relevant.
The court has given the prosecution up to July 18 to file submissions, after which a decision on the applications will be made.
Meanwhile, the court was also updated on the status of Brutus’s wife, Adonika Aulder, who is also facing charges. She has been overseas for medical treatment but is reportedly returning to the country. The court heard that Aulder was scheduled to return to Guyana on Wednesday, but her flight was cancelled, and she arrived on Thursday but not in time for court.
The case stems from a 2024 investigation into the use of the Welfare Fund. Brutus, Aulder, and three other individuals, including two businessmen and a former police sergeant, are accused of fraud, larceny, and money laundering. Brutus is individually accused of laundering hundreds of millions through various personal and business accounts.
One of the co-accused, businessman Asif Zafarally, also appeared in court seeking to have his bail conditions adjusted. The court allowed limited virtual appearances going forward but refused to have his reporting conditions be reduced.
The court granted bail to the trio, with Brutus required to post GYD6.2 million, his wife GYD1 million, and George GYD500,000. One of the conditions of their bail was that they had to report to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) on the second Friday of each month.
As the investigation deepened, prosecutors brought 201 additional charges against Brutus in November 2024, bringing the total to 231. The charges further strengthened the case against him, leading to an increase in his bail amount by GYD10.05 million.